Violating the Pact
by Queen of Kaos
Summary: When Seth and Summer broke up, they made a pact, a solemn promise. But can they hold to it in the face of meddling friends, mutual attraction, and the mother of all holidays? A Sethummer Chrismakkuh Tale.
1. Unexpected Visitor

_A/N: So, here it is -my first attempt at an SS story for those of you who have been asking. As you've probably noticed, if you've ever read any of my other stories, they'rekind of light on this pairing. Trust me, it's not because I don't like it. I think Seth Cohen is one of the greatest television characters EVER, and he and Summer are the cutest couple since Willow and OZ in season three of Buffy.It's just that, like Summer tells Anna in "The Heartbreak": "He's way smarter than me, and we have less than nothing in common." I think Seth is the epitomy of all things uber-cool, and I am not so much, soI've stayed away from writing him more than I have toso that I don'tcompletely ruin him. Needless to say, I hope I've done him justice. Sorry he's not as funny as Adam Brody makes him on the show. And for all of you Sethummer fans, I hope I do the relationship the justic it deserves. Enjoy._

The pounding on his dorm room door dragged Seth Cohen out of his "study focus" and put him in "irritation" mode. Who the hell would be interrupting him at 11:00 on a Monday night? Sure, it wasn't all that late, but most of his friends were too busy studying, or partying, in the middle of the week to show up for some lively conversation. Or they would just walk in. At the end of the semester, nobody knocked anymore.

He threw the door open and rested his eyes on the untimely visitor. "Summer," he said in shock. His ex-girlfriend barely talked to him when they bumped into each other in Newport anymore, so trekking from USC all the way to Berkley didn't make any sense at all. "What the hell?"

She breezed past him and flopped onto his rumpled bed. "I had to get out of that room," she announced before turning her nose up. "What is that smell?"

Seth looked around and then remembered to close the door. "Um, I burnt some Hot Pockets earlier. What are you doing here?" He moved toward his desk and turned down the volume on the stereo.

"Were you studying?" Summer asked, her gaze drifting over the disheveled room he shared with some kid from Nebraska, and then rested on his desk, where several books and a laptop sat.

"Yeah, I was. Finals are coming up. And I don't know if you heard me, but I asked what you're doing here?" He sank to the hard, wooden chair that now seemed for more uncomfortable than he ever remembered it.

Summer laid back on the bed with a groan. "I told you, I had to get out. My roommate is driving me crazy and I couldn't take it for another second," she sighed. "I mean, how many times can you listen to Jay Z and Beyonce before your eardrums actually start to bleed?"

Seth laughed. "I haven't done that research," he answered, with a nod. "But I'm thinking no more than twice, and only if it's in a club where alcohol is the main course of the evening meal?" She sat up and shot him a thousand-watt smile. No matter how far apart they drifted, that smile always brought him back to a place that felt safe, like home. "What about Marissa? She's in LA. Why not just go to her house?"

Summer's dark eyes rolled and she moved from the bed to his snack shelf. "She went to Stanford to visit Ryan for the weekend and she's not back yet," she answered over her shoulder, finding a bag of tortilla chips that seemed to satisfy whatever late-night munchies she was having. "I didn't know where else to go, and driving seemed a hundred times better than going back to that room and watching Little Miss Muffett and Abercrombie drool all over each other, so I just kept going. And the next thing I knew, I was here," she explained, flopping back onto his bed.

He watched as her full lips wrapped around the tortilla chip, broke it off, and then clamped shut as she chewed it thoroughly. He remembered that she had once told him he had to be careful to chew tortilla chips carefully, because if he didn't, the jagged edges could cause a tear in his esophagus. He wasn't sure there was any medical merit to that theory, but she had been so sincere that he had promised to always chew at least ten times before swallowing.

He shook his head, remembering that he should probably be talking. "You do realize that Stanford is even closer than here, right?"

Summer rolled her eyes. "Do you not want me here, Cohen?" She knew that it was short notice, and it had even surprised her when she had driven nearly eight hours to end up on his door step.

But Seth just tapped on his desk and shook his head again. "No, it's fine. Um, since you're here now, do you wanna make yourself useful and help me study for my Philosophy final?"

Her nose scrunched up and he nearly answered with her. "Ew." She took another bite of her chip and then put the bag aside. "Can't we just take a walk or something?"

He wanted to say "yes," but a quick turn of his head reminded him that he was never going to pass this class if he didn't finish what he was doing when she arrived. "Summer, I really have to study. I mean, you're welcome to stay, but I have to get through this stuff before tomorrow."

Summer wasn't sure she liked being told "no," especially by Seth. But it was either sit in his room and read or go back home and watch them act like an old married couple. "Do you have any Sin City?" she asked, looking over the book shelf at the left of his bed.

An appreciative look crossed Seth's face as he pointed to the bottom shelf. "I didn't know you read Frank Miller," he said as she found the book she was searching for and settled against the headboard to read it.

With a shrug, she flipped it open. "I don't. But this guy from my Chem Lab took me to see the movie. Have you seen it?" He nodded. "Did you love it? I loved it."

Seth turned back to his notes, trying to concentrate. He didn't know which thought was more disturbing to him – the fact that Summer had loved Sin City or that she had gone to see it with someone else. But asking her about the date would constitute a violation of their break-up pact.

They had tried the long-distance relationship for their first year of school, but just before the start of the second, they had called it quits – nearly five months ago now. And they had agreed that it would be for good this time. They also agreed not to attempt in any way, verbally or physically, to sabotage the other's attempt to move on. They lived too far apart, led separate lives, and it wasn't ever going to be like it was in high school. It was time to grow up and let go fo the things they were holding on to just because they were familiar.

"Hey, Seth," his roommate, Brad, shouted as he burst through the door, interrupting Seth's thoughts and making Summer jump. Brad looked to the bed. "Oh, dude, sorry. I didn't know you had company." He smiled at Summer, who only smirked sarcastically and went back to her reading.

Seth cringed. It wouldn't be out of character for Brad to say something stupid right now – or ever, really. "What is up, Bradley?" he asked.

Brad flopped onto his own bed and kicked his shoes off before reaching forward and handing something to Seth. "Here, man. Morgan Collins wanted me to give this to you." He winked at the mention of the petite blonde from their European Lit class.

Seth took the paper and sat it beside him on the desk. "Unless it's the answers to Farnsworth's final, I really don't care right now," he answered distractedly, typing notes into his computer.

Brad snorted and rummaged through the refrigerator at the side of his bed. He loudly popped the tab on a beer can and took a drink before answering. "She was all about you tonight, buddy. Kept asking where you were and if you were coming down. She might still be there, playing pool at the bar, if you wanna catch up." He turning his attention to Summer for a minute, winking when he caught her eye. "I can keep your friend company."

Summer rolled her eyes and felt her stomach flip-flop. Maybe there really _was_ something worse than her own roommate in the world. But before she could answer, Seth slammed his Philosophy text closed and stood. "Actually, Summer and I were gonna take a walk, so thanks, but she won't be needing your company tonight. Or any other night, for that matter," he added, shooting her a look. She stood quickly, put the book back on the shelf where she had found it, and smoothed her hands over her little denim skirt.

Seth took her hand and led her to the door. "Nice to meet you," Brad called after them as Summer slammed the door behind her.

"Oh, my God, Cohen," she laughed when they were almost to the elevator at the end of the hall. "That guy totally made me miss Luke for a second."

"I know," Seth agreed, dropping her hand when the doors before them dinged. "That guy makes Luke look like a rogue scholar."

She crossed her arms as the elevator began its descent. "How do you live with him?"

He laughed. "I don't really have a choice. And he's moving into some frat house at the end of the semester, so I only have a couple more weeks with him anyway." When they reached the lobby, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "So, where do you wanna go?"

She shrugged and pulled her jacket tightly around her body. The California December was biting at her skin and Summer shivered slightly in response. "I don't care. Do you wanna go see that girl?"

He thought he detected a hint of sadness in her voice. "No," he answered honestly.

"Because we can. The pact and all, ya know?" She didn't want to watch him flirt with someone else, but she would. She would because she had promised not to care anymore, not to dwell on the fact that he could be with someone who wasn't her. "I kinda showed up out of nowhere," she conceded. "I don't want you to miss your chance because of me."

Seth laughed as they started down one of the sidewalks. "Trust me, Summer, I'm not avoiding Morgan because of you. I'm avoiding Morgan because she gets around more than Holly, and she smells like pechuli. Oh, and because she keeps asking me when I think Jeff Buckley will release another record."

And it was Summer's turn to laugh. "That's a Grade A groupie ya got there, Cohen," she commented.

"Well, no one's gonna be as good as you, Summer," he said sincerely before he could stop himself. "And there I go thinking out loud again. Dammit! I thought I was getting better about that," he tried to laugh it off.

But she brushed her shoulder against his as she put her hands in her pockets while they walked under the muted glow of street lamps, listening to the wind whispering to the trees above. "I know what you mean," she finally said softly.

By the time they circled back to his dorm an hour later, they were walking shoulder-to-shoulder and catching up on everything that had happened since their break-up. When they stopped at the front door, Summer looked at the watch on Seth's wrist. "I should probably start back."

He wanted to invite her to stay, but he knew that he couldn't. "I've got a lot of reading to do," he said, feeling an uncharacteristic need to say nothing more.

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Call me when you get home, Cohen," she smiled as she reluctantly let go of his hand. "It's not like I can celebrate Chrismakkuh without you, right?"

He waved and turned back to the building without a look back.


	2. PreParty Jitters

Summer watched through the vanity mirror as Marissa surveyed her bedroom. It was strange, being back for the holidays. The room was unchanged, exactly as it had been when she lived here, when she was in high school. And in a lot of ways, Summer felt like she still belonged here, that she wasn't all that different from the girl who lived in this room a year and a half ago.

But in some ways, she felt like an alien on a foreign planet. She knew stuff now, smart stuff, college stuff. Making the dean's list hadn't been as hard as she had imagined, and meeting new and interesting people, people she never would have met in Orange County, was fun. As long as it wasn't her skank-ass roommate. In some ways, she felt like she had outgrown the confines of Newport Beach.

"So, you sure you want to go to this Chrismakkuh thing?" Marissa asked from the bed, interrupting Summer's thoughts.

Without hesitation, the brunette nodded enthusiastically. "Just celebrating Christmas doesn't seem like enough anymore, ya know?" She put the final bobby pin in her meticulously curled hair, securing the yarmaclaus to her head, and turned to face her friend.

"Yeah, but Seth," Marissa starting, not sure of how to bring up the subject.

"Is my friend," Summer finished the sentence for her friend. "Look, Coop, I know that I was not the easiest person to live with when Cohen and I first broke up. But we're cool now," she assured. Standing, she smoothed the silky fabric of her red cocktail dress. "And I can't very well celebrate Chrismakkuh with anyone but him, because let's face it – no one else know what the hell it is," she rolled her eyes, adjusted one of her dress straps, and then held her arms out. "How do I look?"

Marissa smiled and stood. "Like the perfect Mrs. Claus meets," she paused and turned her head to one side as she pondered. "Who's the Jewish Mrs. Claus?"

Summer grabbed her purse and walked toward the door. "Mrs. Moses? I don't know – did she have a name?"

As she shut her bedroom door and followed Marissa to the car, Summer assured herself that she was doing the right thing. Since visiting Seth at Berkley, they had exchanged a few e-mails, and a couple of phone calls. And he had done as she asked, called her as soon as he got back to Newport to make sure he was coming to his family's holiday gathering. Tonight would be fun. It was Chrismakkuh. Nothing could ruin Chrismakkah. It had twice the resistance of any normal holiday.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ryan was tying his shoe when Seth made his way into the pool house. He had missed this more than anything, spending time with Ryan, talking about his problems. He had missed the blank stares his friend would give when he had no idea what Seth was talking about. Sure, he got the same dramatic pauses over the phone, but without the look? It just wasn't the same.

"So, buddy," he said, lowering himself into a chair. Ryan looked up. "Tonight's the big party, the big night. The Chrismakkuh celebration to end all Chrismakkuh celebrations. Ya know, Ryan, I think this might just be the year that Chrismakkuh goes to the next level, really takes off, ya know?"

Ryan cleared his throat and leaned back on the bed. "You wanna talk about Summer?" he asked.

Seth shook his head and bit his lip. "No, I don't. What would even make you think that I would want to talk about. . . We broke up. . . We are friends. . . Why would I want to talk about Summer?"

A laugh escaped Ryan's lips and he shook his head. "You're nervous," he deduced. Standing, he looked around the room for his watch. "Relax, man. Marissa says she's nervous, too."

"Why would Marissa be nervous?" Seth asked and then nodded as Ryan turned to glare at him. God, he missed that glare. "Oh, right." He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Summer and I are just friends, Ryan, and I feel that's a good thing. No. No, it's a great thing. Summer and I are good as friends. We've always been good as friends, right?"

Ryan rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "You guys have never been friends," he pointed out.

Seth leaned back in the chair and thought about his history with Summer. "How about when she was dating Zack? We were friends then," he said.

"Seth," Ryan stated, as though it were the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. "You spent all of your time trying to break them up. You were only friends with her so you could get her back," he reminded.

"True," Seth conceded. "But friends, nonetheless. Now, you and Marissa? You were never friends."

Ryan shook his head at the tactic and sat back on the bed. "Yes, but Marissa and I admit that and we're together now, even though we live five hours apart. Unlike some people I know, who deny they're still in love and pretend to be friends, even though their sexual tension makes everyone in the room uncomfortable." He stood again and walked toward the door of the pool house. "You comin'?"

Seth looked toward the house and shook his head. "I can't move," he said, staring at the floor. "The thing is, Ryan, what if it was a huge mistake to invite her here? I can't ask if she's dating anyone because it violates the pact. And I can't tell her about anyone I've dated, because again with the pact. And I can't even think about asking her out while we're home because that is a total violation of the pact."

Standing silently in the door for a minute, Ryan turned to his friend and then back to the house to see Summer and Marissa entering the living room. "Yeah," he nodded finally and met Seth's gaze. "The pact is asinine and impossible to follow." And he was gone.

Leaving Seth to stew in his own insecurity and paralyzing self-doubt.


	3. Divide and Conquer

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys. You don't know how close I was to finding the quickest exit possible from this story. Now I'm kinda getting into it, though. I tried something a little different with this chapter, writing what would be shown in "quick cuts" on the show. I hope you're not too confused._

"You gonna do something about them or am I?" Marissa asked as she clutched Ryan's hand and watched Seth and Summer avoid each other like the plague.

Ryan shrugged. "Divide and conquer?" he suggested.

With a nod, Marissa pushed off the table they were leaning against and set off in the direction of her best friend. She knew it was a bad idea, this whole "friend" thing, but Summer couldn't be convinced once the seed of an idea took root in her head. She had no idea what she was going to say, but she knew that she had to say something.

Ryan took a deep breath as he sank to the couch beside Seth. This was ridiculous. The forlorn look on his best friend's face was more than he could handle. Ryan was the brooder. Seth was the one who went out of his way to say something completely absurd just to lighten Ryan's dark moods. And this whole "Pouting Over Summer" thing did not follow protocol, and it bothered him more than he was willing to admit.

"Alright, Sum," Marissa stated firmly, holding her hand out to Summer, who was sitting in an overstuffed chair, a pathetic look on her pretty face. "What the hell?"

Summer looked up through her long eyelashes, shrugging. "This is the suckiest Chrismakkuh ever," she sighed.

"Come on," Marissa took her arm and pulled her out of the chair. "Let's go talk about it, okay?" Summer was like dead weight as she followed with a groan of protest. Somehow, Marissa managed to get her to the pool house before Summer collapsed against the bed with a heavy sigh. Oh, this was gonna be fun.

"So, man," Ryan started, casting a side-long glance at Seth. "What the hell?"

Seth shrugged his shoulders pathetically. "I thought this was supposed to be an intimate party with our friends and family, man. Who are all these people?"

Ryan scanned the unfamiliar faces in the crowd. "I thought you wanted Chrismakkuh to sweep the nation?" Seth gave a raised eyebrow and a slight nod of concession as Ryan stood. "Come on. Let's get some air."

He didn't want air. He wanted Summer. But since he couldn't have her, and his best friend was now leaving him for the backyard, he stood and followed. He dropped to the chair across the patio table from Ryan and propped his elbows up, propping his chin in his upturned hands. "This is good, Ryan. There's lots of air outside," he said.

Leave it to Seth to fill empty space with unnecessary words. Ryan smiled inwardly and watched over his friend's shoulder as Marissa sat next to Summer on his bed and said something. Great – this was exactly how he wanted to spend his holiday.

"He is totally avoiding me, Coop," Summer whined.

Marissa rolled her eyes. "It's not like you're being all kinds of approachable, Sum," she pointed out.

Summer sat up and looked out the window, watching as Ryan talked to her ex. She wondered if they were talking about her. What else would they be talking about? One of his other girlfriends? His college girlfriends? The ones she couldn't ask about? "I hate the pact," she pouted.

"What were we thinking?" Seth asked Ryan, refusing to turn and look at whatever Marissa and Summer were doing in the pool house. "I mean, how are we supposed to be friends if we can't talk about our love lives, or lack thereof, in my case? I ask you, Ryan, what else do friends talk about?"

Shrugging, Ryan leaned back in his chair. "I don't know, man.You and Ifind stuff to talk about."

"It's not like I can ask him about the newest lip color from MAC," Summer said, standing and turning her back on the window. She couldn't keep looking at him. "And I don't care about his interests, so that's out."

Marissa laughed. "Well, what did you guys talk about before?"

"I think you were right, man," Seth conceded, leaning back in his own chair. "I don't think we can be friends. And do you know why, Ryan?"

"Because you'd rather throw her down and fu--" Ryan started.

But Seth cut him off with a raised finger and the shake of his head. "No, although that thought is never far from my mind's forefront. We can't be friends because she doesn't know Marvel from DC from Dark Horse," he rattled off some of his favorite comic book brands.

Ryan rolled his head. "Seth, I don't know the difference in most of those," he pointed out.

"Coop, he doesn't even know a body wrap from a salt glow," Summer threw her hands up in exasperation.

Marissa stood and looked out the window. "Look at him, Summer. Just look out there and think about the best times of your life." She caught Ryan's eye and nodded. It was time to pull out the big guns – memory lane. If that didn't remind these two of why they liked each other in the first place, then maybe they didn't belong together after all.

Ryan took Marissa's cue and leaned toward his friend, who was tracing a non-existent line on the table top. "Seth, man, think about this." Seth looked up in interest. "Whether you have anything in common or not, who's been there for all the big moments in your life?"

"Captain Oates?" Seth asked. Ryan's shoulders sagged. "Um, you?" He stopped and took a deep breath, risking a glance over his shoulder. "It's always been Summer," he admitted.

"Cohen," Summer whispered, catching his eye. When she thought about the best times in her life, whether they were a couple or not, he was always a part of them. He was a part of her. He was the part that showed her life was more than beach parties and spa trips. He was the part that saw her as a super hero, even when she didn't believe in them.

Seth stared back at the brown eyes watching him. She couldn't be his friend because she would always be more. She would always be the part of him that stopped him from being to self-involved, the part that kept him grounded. She would always be the part of him that proved the prom queen was never out of reach, even if he was just a big comic book geek.

As Marissa exited the pool house, Ryan slid away from the table and met her at the kitchen door. Seth and Summer continued watching each other, neither moving. "Think it worked?" he asked.

She leaned into his shoulder as he slid his arm around her waist and rested her head on his shoulder. "I think that we should go inside and let them figure it out from here."

When they had gone inside, Seth stood and motioned with his head and a smile for Summer to join him. He turned his focus to the moonlight's reflection on the glassy water as she exited the pool house and sidled up to him. "So, that yarmaclaus looks pretty good on ya, Summer."

She smiled and brushed his shoulder, looking at her own shoes. "Want to get some eggnog? Maybe talk?"

"I think that's maybe the best idea I've heard all night," he smiled, following her back to the house. Complimenting her didn't violate their pact, did it? He shook his head as he closed the door behind him. Did talking about the pact violate the pact? Because he starting to think that it needed some serious revising.


	4. Chrismakkuh Spirit

If Seth ever had a prayer of holding to the pact, it was shattered now. As he and Summer lay side-by-side on his bed, watching A Very Brady Christmas on his small television, he tried to focus on anything but the warm smell of her body lotion and the apple-ness of her shampoo. The way she laid on her stomach, her legs bent at the knees and flailing around as she smiled and rolled her eyes at the television, made him want to take her hand and never let it go.

"You know what I think, Cohen?" Summer asked suddenly.

That we should turn this garbage off and make sweet love right here until morning? he thought, shaking his head. "What do you think, Summer?"

She bit into a Chrismakkuh cookie and pointed at the television. "I think I know what Chrismakkuh needs to put it over the top," she said over the food in her mouth. He just raised his eyebrow. "A movie. I mean, think about it – it would be the best way to spread the word and show everyone the true meaning of the Chrismakkuh spirit."

He smiled in spite of himself and nodded, pushing his body into a seated position. She flipped over onto her back and rested her hands behind her head, looking at him with a silly smiled that mirrored his. It was the look they used to give when neither needed words to convey how much they enjoyed being with the other. "I can see the potential," he agreed with a nod.

"Of course, we have to define the spirit of Chrismakkuh. I mean, you created it. So it's more about receiving than giving?" she teased. He feigned a look of mock hurt and she rolled her eyes. "What do you think it's about?"

"I don't know. But you know how might now?" He reached for the bedside table and put his hand around the trusty plastic horse that had become so much a part of his persona. Summer scoffed, but Seth silenced her with a serious look. "Hey – the Captain has some very sage wisdom to offer, I'll have you know." He held the toy to his ear, pretending to listen. "Oates says that Chrismakkuh is about happy endings."

"Happy endings?" Summer asked, sitting up and curling her legs beneath her, being sure to smooth her dress down over her thighs.

"It's a powerful holiday, Summer. Think about it," he nodded, setting Oates on the pillow beside him. "Every Chrismakkuh we've all celebrated together has had a happy ending."

She scrunched her nose and then raised a finger. "Didn't you break up with me on Chrismakkuh?" she accused.

Seth stretched his memory and then shook his head. "No, I didn't. Because, technically, Summer, you weren't my girlfriend. You and Anna both said I had to choose between you, and I chose neither. That's not a break-up in the literal sense." He stopped and shot her a flustered smile when she leveled with a glare. "Alright, fine, I broke up with you. But, if I remember correctly, it was three days before Chrismakkuh, so that doesn't really count."

Moving to his side, she pulled Captain Oates into her lap and stretched her legs out on the bed, brushing Seth's in her movement. Her heart did a flip-flop at the contact, but she tried to clear her throat and ignore it. "Remember last year?" she asked.

A forced laugh made it's way out of his lips as a blush flooded his cheeks. "I remember it had a very happy ending." He started to look at her, and then returned his gaze to his hands. He couldn't meet her eye when he was thinking about last year.

"For both of us," Summer whispered. Her mind traveled back to that night, when she couldn't wait to get home and spend a few days alone with him. Being apart for their first semester of college had been hell, and she remembered just how excited she had been at the thought of just seeing him. It wasn't unlike this vacation had started, if she was honest.

But it would end very differently than this one would. She smiled as she thought about that first night. Her dad and step-mom had gone out of town, so she invited him to her house and made him dinner. And then they had locked themselves away in her bedroom until late the next day. It had been perfect, just being back in his arms again, resting her head against his chest, listening to his heart race whenever they were close.

Seth remembered the way she had hugged him so tightly when he had walked in her front door, as though she wanted to be sure he was solid, not some figment of her imagination. He remembered that the sex had been good, but that the afterglow had been better. Just laying in her bed, holding her against his chest, feeling her breath on his skin, made him wish that they could leave this lame ass party and go back there – back to where things were good.

The loud ringing of his cell phone interrupted both of their thoughts. Seth cleared his throat. "Hello?"

"Seth Cohen," the chipper voice on the other end shot back in response.

"Krista Parker," Seth smiled at the sound of the girl from his Philosophy study group. "What is goin' on, friend?"

Summer wondered if he was stressing the "friend" just for her. Of course, she couldn't ask. And she couldn't very well pout and run from the room, either. Though it didn't seem like a horrible idea, either.

"So, you know how the parents were supposed to come home for the holidays?" Krista asked into the phone. "Funny story? Turns out they're stuck in Taiwan. Something to do with a member of the secret police and a brothel and I didn't really ask a lot of questions," she tried to laugh it off.

Krista was kind of a mix between Seth's Aunt Haley and his ex-girlfriend, Anna. She was brilliant and opinionated, but she was crazy and unpredictable, too. She had been all over the world, met all kinds of people, and she always told Seth that he was the coolest she'd met on any planet. If he was being completely honest, that's probably why they were such good friends.

"So you're alone on the most holy of holidays?" Seth asked, shooting Summer a reassuring smile. She shot it back, but he could tell it was less-than-genuine.

"I was kinda hopin' the offer to crash in your guest room might still be open? At least for a couple of days?"

He didn't want to say "yes." He wanted to tell her that she couldn't come because things were going well with Summer. He wanted to say that the only person he wanted to have anything to do with over this break was the beautiful woman beside him on the bed. But he was Seth Cohen, and if one of his friends needed something from him? "Sure," he answered.

"Awesome," Krista sighed in relief. "You're the best ever, Seth."

"Yeah, I know," he acknowledged before hanging up the phone to offer Summer a shy look. It was the one he always gave when he had done something that he knew she wasn't going to like. "So, my friend Krista is coming to stay for a few days," he started.

Summer nodded a little too enthusiastically. She wasn't his girlfriend anymore. She had no right to protest. Even though the rock in the pit of her stomach was screaming for her to stand up, demand he call his "friend" back, and tell her that he was going to busy for the next two weeks. "Cool," was all she said.

"You're sure? You're cool with this?"

Rolling off the bed, she smoothed her dress down and gave him another less-than-real smile. "Cohen, it's fine. You're welcome to hang with whoever you want," she reminded, patting the bedspread. "So, I'm gonna go find Coop and Ryan. See what they're up to. You comin'?"

He rolled off his own side of the bed and followed her out of the room. If he was going to keep believing in the true spirit of Chrismakkuh, and the happy endings, then something was going to have to happen fast. Because he wasn't sure even Jesus and Moses could aver the disaster that would be Krista and Summer.


	5. Enough Friends for Everyone

_A/N: Thanks so much for your awesome reviews. I was watching The OC reruns last night, and the angsty, broken up Seth and Summer really kicked me in the ass with inspiration. I hope to get a couple more chapters up before the weekend is over. Keep reviewing, and I promise to keep writing._

Seth stared at the kitchen counter with a blank look on his face. In less than twelve hours, Kirsta would be here. And if things hadn't gone so well with Summer the other night, that fact wouldn't have bothered him in the least. He would welcome his friend with open arms, if it hadn't been for Summer.

That seemed to be the theme of his life, though. He would still be a pathetic, lonely geek, if it hadn't been for Summer. He would have gone to college across the country, instead of across the state, if it hadn't been for Summer. He would have never pursued his comic book, if it hadn't been for Summer. He would have never made that damned pact, if it hadn't been for Summer.

He knew that he should be happy. He got to spend more than a weekend with Ryan, talking and hanging out like they used to. His parents seemed better than Seth had ever seen them. He and Summer were friends now. And it was Chrismakkuh – his favorite time of the year. There was absolutely no reason for him to feel like he was staring down the barrel of a large hunting rifle, struggling for memorable last words.

"What's wrong with you?" Ryan asked as he shut the kitchen door firmly behind him and went straight for the coffee pot.

Seth looked up, surprised to find his friend there. "Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just sitting here, contemplating my life. You know, the mistakes, the good times. All of it, just dwelling," he rambled.

"What? Why?" Ryan asked, searching the counter top for something that would ease his hunger.

With an incredulous look, Seth threw his arms up. "Can you not see the Looney Tunes-style rifle in my face, Ryan?"

Ryan's eyes darted back and forth as he carefully chewed a dried piece of cereal. "Is this a metaphor?"

"No. There really is an enormousgun in my face right now, Ryan, you just can't see it," he stated wryly. Rolling his eyes, Seth returned his cheek to the palm it had been resting on. "Yes, Ryan, it is a metaphor. A metaphor for the death that it about to overtake me in," he checked his watch, "Approximately ten and a half hours."

Nodding, Ryan sank to the stool beside Seth and sipped his coffee. "Krista," was all he said.

"Krista," was all Seth said in agreement.

There was a moment of silence as Ryan chewed another piece of cereal. When he had swallowed, he turned slightly. "Why'd you invite her? If you don't want her here?"

"Have you met me, man?" Seth asked in exasperation, standing and moving to the refrigerator. "I'm powerless in the face of a beautiful woman. You know that." He withdrew the orange juice container and heading toward the cabinet for a glass.

"Beautiful, huh?" Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow. He knew Seth's heart would always belong to Summer, at least in part. But it wasn't Seth's heart that got him in trouble most of the time.

"It's a figure of speech," Seth withered, drinking from his glass as he leaned against the counter.

But Ryan shook his head. "No, it's not." If anyone knew Seth Cohen, it was Ryan Atwood. And he knew that the only way to get Seth to admit his feelings was to poke and barb him until he couldn't come up with another excuse. "A figure of speech is something like 'Kick your ass so hard your momma will feel it.' 'Beautiful' is an adjective, used to describe a thing of beauty."

Seth rolled his eyes and drank from his juice glass. "So what? So I think Krista's beautiful. You met her. Am I wrong?" Ryan shook his head. "See? I think Marissa is beautiful, too. And Alex. Remember her, Ryan? She was beautiful. Anna Kournikova? Josie Moran? Katie Holmes? The girl from the Coffee Beanery in the mall? Do I need to go on?"

Ryan shook his head. "I get it," he conceded. "Seth, are you sure there's not something you're leaving out. I get the feeling that there's more to this whole "Krista" thing than just Summer getting jealous."

Dammit. Leave it to his best friend in the whole world to figure him out. Not that Seth Cohen was famous for hiding his feelings all that well, but he was hoping to get out of this without having to tell the whole truth. "I may have been a little angry with Summer the last time we broke up. And I may have vented a little bit to Krista about it," he admitted. "And she may hate Summer now because of it."

The words came out in a rush, but once Ryan had processed them, he felt his stomach drop. "Seth," he sighed. "She's gonna kick Summer's ass," Ryan predicted.

And Seth nodded. What else could he do? It's not like he could stop it now.

XXXXX

"This sucks!" Summer stood and turned the television off, turning to stare at Marissa, who was lounging comfortably on the living room couch. She thought that eating ice cream and watching The Valley with her best friend would make her forget that Seth's "guest" was coming into town, but even Grady Bridges wasn't taking her mind off of the blur of emotions coursing through her body.

Marissa bit her lip and hugged a pillow to her chest. "Sum, we could always just go over there? You could meet Krista. See that she's not all that bad."

Rolling her eyes, Summer flopped onto the floor and shook her head. "I can't believe you're taking Cohen's side in all of this," she accused.

"I'm not taking anyone's side," Marissa defended quickly, pulling at the fringe on the edge of the pillow. "I only met Krista once. I don't really know her. But you told Seth that you wanted to be his friend. And you told him that you were cool with her coming, so why not go over there and prove it to him?"

Summer's eyes narrowed at Marissa. "Because, Coop, you're just gonna run off to the pool house with Ryan the minute we get there and leave me to watch Cohen and his super-duper special friend being all," she struggled for the word, "friendly," she finally spat with disgust.

Marissa started to promise that she wouldn't leave Summer alone with them when the doorbell rang. "Are you expecting company?" she asked instead.

Shaking her head, Summer pulled herself off of the floor with a grunt and moved toward the door. "This better not be one of my step-mom's stupid prescription deliveries," she threatened to no one in particular.

The screech that Summer emitted when she opened the door caused Marissa to leap off of the couch. She grasped her heart, for fear it had stopped beating and then looked to where Summer was standing, her arms around a six foot tall Adonis with a Mohawk and a "Social Distortion" tee shirt. She smiled to herself and made her way toward them.

"So, I guess that means I'm not interrupting anything?" the guy asked with a smirk. "Hey, Marissa," he greeted easily.

Marissa offered a small wave as Summer pulled away from him and let her eyes drift over Kendrick Hall, her Chem Lab partner at USC. One date, one movie, and she knew that they would never be anything more than friends. But it was good to have friends. Especially at that very moment. "What are you doing here?"

Kendrick put his hands in the pockets of his loose-fitting Dickies and looked around the foyer of her house. "We were supposed to have a gig in Oceanside this weekend, but Darien got the flu, and we had to cancel," he referred to the lead singer of the band for which he was drummer. "And Newport was closer than home, so I thought I'd swing by and see how your holiday was going. See if one of those hot, OC ragers was goin' down or something?"

Marissa shot Summer a look of warning, which her friend ignored, looping her arm through Kendricks. "Actually, we were just gonna go hang out with some friends," she said, leading him out the front door. If Cohen could invite a "friend" to hang out, then so could Summer. She slid into the front of Kendrick's van, a small, satisfied smile curling the ends of her lips.


	6. Awkward Intros

"And this is the pool house," Seth stated as he opened the door and entered to find Ryan, shirtless, before his television. There was a spoon hanging out of his mouth and the jabbing staccato of his thumbs on the controller buttons mixed with the electronic background music of whatever video game he was conquering. "Where Ryan apparently decided to get naked and play games," Seth added.

Ryan rolled his eyes and paused the game, dropping the spoon from his mouth back to the ice cream bowl behind him on the bed. "Hey, Krista," he greeted the girl he had met on a few occasions. Living two hours away from Seth didn't afford them the luxury of frequent visits, but it was still close enough to hang when they could. And hanging with Seth at Berkley meant hanging with Krista, too.

She was tall, about Seth's height, with blonde curls that fell half-way down her back. Her green eyes were piercing, and usually full of laughter. "Good to see you, man," she smiled, extending a hand to Seth's closest friend. She made no attempt to hide her gaze as it swept over his physique. "You been working out?"

"Alright, this is all fascinating," Seth stopped her from drooling all over his friend. "But we were gonna go see what was up at The Bait Shop. You wanna join?"

Ryan nodded and grabbed his tee shirt from the bed. "Let me call Marissa. She'll be pissed if I go without her," he cringed and looked back at the pair who were now watching him with raised eyebrows. He started to defend his statement, but then just rolled his eyes and dialed the phone. "Fine, I'm whipped. Whatever."

Seth put his hands on his hips and turned to Krista. "They're like Siamese twins or something. Joined at the lips most of the time. There's really nothing more fun than watching Ryan and Marissa make out, ya know?"

Krista rolled her eyes and slung an arm around his shoulder. "Poor Cohen," she pouted her bottom lip and then smacked his back. "Dude, it's Chrismakkuh. I thought you'd be all festive and whatnot," she said.

"She's not answering," Ryan said, hanging up the phone. He was about to say something to his guests when something caught his eye. "Because she's in the back yard," he smiled as Marissa opened the door and shot him that grin that melted his insides. "I was trying to call you."

"Well, here I am," Marissa greeted him with a hungry kiss.

"See?" Seth nodded at Krista and then made a gagging noise. "You guys, can we just go? Please?" he asked.

"What's wrong, Cohen? Does a little PDA make you uncomfortable?" Summer's voice sounded from behind Marissa as she and a guy Seth didn't recognize entered the pool house.

He wasn't sure if it was just him, but the pool house seemed ten times smaller than it had once been. The time he had been trapped inside with Ryan on New Year's rushed back into his mind. "Summer. Hi," he greeted with a pathetic wave, his gaze flitting between her and her new visitor. "And you brought company."

"Uh, yeah," Summer rolled her eyes. "Ryan, you remember Kendrick, right?"

Vaguely, he remembered the kid that Summer had introduced them to at some concert. He just remembered that he was a drummer for some really loud band that sounded nothing like Journey. "Hey, man," he offered the hand that wasn't around Marissa's waist.

Kendrick shook it and gave him a nod. But before he could speak, Summer was continuing with introductions. "This is Cohen," she said, almost under her breath.

"Hey man," Kendrick smiled, completely oblivious to the tension in the room.

"Hey," Seth mumbled, rolling his head toward Krista. "This is Krista," he pointed to his left and the girl who was watching the exchange with great amusement.

"You're the drummer for that LA band, Freaks and Geeks, right?" Kendrick nodded. Turning to Seth, Krista smacked his stomach. "Remember we saw them in October, Cohen?"

Did that bitch just call him "Cohen"? Summer wanted to rip her eyeballs out. No one called him "Cohen." Nobody but her. And Seth was nodding, like it was no big deal. He was letting this skank call him "Cohen"?

But Seth wasn't really listening to Krista. He was too busy sizing up this rock star with his arm around Summer. Who did he think he was anyway? Hadn't anyone told him that Mohawks were for the generic punk wannabes that backed up pseudo-angry pop stars like Ashlee Simpson and Avril Lavigne?

Krista stepped forward and extended her hand to Kendrick and then to Summer, who shook it with a super-fake smile plastered on her lips. "I've heard a lot about you Summer," she smirked.

"That's funny. Seth's never really mentioned you," Summer replied.

Seth wanted to sink through the floor. Dammit. "Okay, so I'm sure this is enjoyable for almost," he looked around the room, "no one. Let's just go, okay?"

"Sure," Summer was the first to turn toward the door. "The Bait Shop is the club I was telling you that you guys should look into playing," she explained as she and Kendrick started out the door.

Marissa and Ryan followed, but Krista took Seth's arm and held him back in the doorway. "I thought you said you guys made a pact," she accused.

"We did," Seth defended. His shoulders sagged under her penetrating gaze. "We're trying to be friends now," he explained.

"Oh, that's gonna go well," Krista sneered, grabbing the front of his tee shirt and leading him out of the pool house.

Summer watched from the front seat of the van as Krista led Seth around the side of the house. He was laughing at something she was saying, and she bit her tongue. "That's the ex, huh?" Kendrick asked.

"Huh?" Summer asked, as Seth and Krista climbed into the back of the van with Ryan and Marissa. She shot Kendrick a smile and wished that she could shave that stupid Mohawk off of his head. "We're just friends," she assured.

He nodded as he put the van in park and pulled out of the driveway. "Right."


	7. Dancing Queens

_A/N: Sorry it took me a few days to update, guys. I'm sharing a computer with my roommate right now, so my time online is limited. I promise to get a couple more chapters up as soon as I can, though. Thanks for the reviews in the mean time. You know I love a good ego stroke now and then. Oh, and Abby? Sorry I used your name, Chick! I have a really good friend named Kendrick, and he loves to read my stories (I think he loves Seth Cohen more than anyone)- and he has a horrible Mohawk, so I was just trying to get through to him in the most blatantly obvious way possible. No offense intended!_

The Bait Shop wasn't known for "dance" bands. It was known for hip, indie bands who were unsigned, and cooler because of it. So Seth couldn't figure out why tonight, of all nights, there was some deejay, dressed as Santa Claus, spinning techno Christmas tunes. Was it only because Summer had a date? Was it so that the two of them could plaster themselves at the groin and make Seth nauseous? Because that's how it felt to him.

"Why are you just sitting here?" Ryan asked finally.

Seth threw a glance to his friend and then returned his stare to the dance floor – to Summer. "Why are you?" he asked, distractedly. And then he nodded and turned his full attention to Ryan, a beaming smile of mischief on his face. That smile always made Ryan's heart sink. "Oh, that's right. Because you don't dance." He pointed in the opposite direction of his former obsession and waited for Ryan's eyes to follow.

Letting his blue gaze fall on Marissa, bumping and grinding with Krista, he smiled. "What?" he shrugged. He knew what Seth was doing, because it was the same thing Seth always did when he didn't want to talk about how immature and childish he was being. He tried to change the subject. "It's kinda hot, right?" Ryan prodded.

But Seth leaned forward and tapped the table, looking towardKendrick and Summer and then forcing his focus back to his current companion. "That is your girlfriend out there, Ryan. Your girlfriend who, if I remember correctly, is not altogether uncomfortable, or unfamiliar, with skinny dips in the Pool of Forbidden Love. And she is dancing with a woman, my friend, who would not hesitate to jam her tongue down the throat of the aforementioned ex-lesbian girlfriend, audience or not." Seth raised and eyebrow and waited for a reaction.

Ryan looked to Krista, who's hand was firmly on Marissa's waist, laughing as a nearby group of hormonal frat boys urged the dancing couple into more sultry movements. "Is Krista. . .?" he let the question dangle in the air.

"No," Seth answered what he hadn't asked. "She is experimental." He turned his attention back to Summer. "That is to say, she will kiss anything with lips," he explained.

At the end of the song, Summer broke away from her dance partner and dragged Marissa toward the bathrooms. Krista and Kendrick both found their ways back to the table and dropped into two empty chairs on either side of the boys. "It's so hot out there," Krista sighed, taking Seth's juice cocktail and chugging half.

"I thought it was just the company," Kendrick laughed, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Listen, I know you guys were all looking forward to this big, group hang tonight," he started, his eyes darting toward the bathroom and then back. "But I was thinking about getting' Summer out of here, ya know?" He winked, and the other three at the table all cringed inwardly. "We haven't seen each other in a couple of weeks, and I got some catching up to do."

_It is none of your business_, Seth reminded himself as he plastered on a smile and nodded. "That would be great, Ken," he lied through his teeth as Krista pinched his leg under the table. "Hey," he stated loudly and then cleared his throat. "Tell you what, man. Why don't you go on out and start the van and we'll send her out as soon as she gets done peeing?"

Kendrick nodded and stood, digging his van keys out of his pocket. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it." He searched the ring in his hand for the key he needed and then threw a few bills onto the table. "Man, I wish my "ex" was half as understanding as you are. I mean, if she knew I was cuttin' out of a party early to go bang another chick, she'd go crazy." He laughed and shook his head as he left.

Ryan's arm shot sideways of its own accord, holding Seth in his seat, while Krista just choked on another drink of the juice before her. Patting her chest and clearing her throat, she gave Kendrick a sheepish parting glance and then turned back to Seth, slapping his thigh under the table. "Cohen, you know I think you're the shit, right?" Seth nodded. "And I would jeopardize our friendship in a heartbeat to jump on that train?" Her eyes flitted to his lap and then back to his face as a small smile began to twitch in the corners of her mouth. "But you are the most pansy-assed coward I have ever met in my life."

Seth leaned back in his seat and shook his head. "It's a really good thing I don't care what you think," he shot.

Ryan just watched as the two bantered. He knew, in his heart, that Seth wanted Summer. But every time he saw Seth and Krista, he had a nagging suspicion that there was more to their relationship than either of them let on. "I'm gonna go get another drink," he said, leaving them alone. He doubted they even noticed his absence.

Moving even closer to him, Krista leaned her elbow on the table and rested her cheek against her hand. "Cohen, do you want her back?" she asked, sincerity emanating from her eyes.

"Doesn't matter," he said sadly, concentrating on his folded hands. "There's eight hours distance between us now. And there's two completely different life paths," he chuckled slightly. "And there's Kendrick." He looked into Krista's green eyes and nodded again. "And we can't forget the pact."

"We can totally forget the pact," Krista assured. "The pact is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, Cohen. Nobody makes a pact to never get back together with their ex, especially since nobody you didn't beat, or cheat on, each other," she pointed out. "There is no way for you to know that it is, or isn't, going to work out."

Seth's shoulders sagged. "We're not the same people we were," he argued.

Sometimes Krista wanted to slap the "whiney" right out of him. "And yet, you still manage to be in love with each other," she pointed out. Standing, she ran her hands over her jeans and smiled at Ryan, who was on his way back to the table. "I'm gonna go let Summer know her ride is waiting."

When she was gone, Seth acknowledged Ryan's look with a shake of his head. "She's not going to let Summer know her ride is waiting," he clarified. "She's either going to tell her that the pact is stupid and that we belong together, me and Summer," he sighed and flopped his forehead against his crossed arms on the table top. "Or she's going to kick Summer's ass."


	8. No More Pretending

"What do you want me to do, Sum? Just let her sit at the table with Ryan and Seth? And then who am I supposed to dance with?" Marissa sat on the bathroom counter and stared her best friend down. Summer was admonishing Marissa for being so nice to Krista, for even entertaining the idea that the other girl could be okay.

And Marissa was holding firm toher decision to treat all friends equally - even the ones she didn't know so well. If Krista wasSeth's friend, then she was Marissa's friend, too.She and Ryan had agreed to stay neutral for as long as these new players were in town.

"I don't know what I want," Summer admitted, leaning against one of the stall doors and crossing her arms. "I want everything to be easy. I just want it to be like it was when everything was easy." The pout on her face was vintage Summer, and the foot-stomp that followed was equally nostalgic.

"Look, Sum," Marissa started to dispense her advice when the bathroom door opened and Krista shut it soundly behind her. "Hey, Krista," Marissa smiled.

Krista offered a small wave and moved toward the mirror. "Hey, guys," she greeted, studying her reflection carefully. She wondered, for a split second, if Summer knew that her every eye roll was captured by the mirror for Krista to see. "Summer, I like that skirt," she said. When she arrived at Seth's house, he had warned her that he and his ex-girlfriend were now trying to be friends. She had promised not to cause unnecessary problems.

Summer huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I know what you're trying to do," she stated simply. Krista turned and leaned against the bathroom counter, her hands on her trim waist as she returned the glare that Summer was shooting her way. "It's nothing personal or anything, but I don't want to be your friend," she informed.

Krista shrugged. "Fine by me," she said with a sigh. "I'll be honest, I was just pretending to play nice to get in with Seth anyway."

With the scrunch of her nose, Summer shook her head. "You'd have to get Cohen totally drunk for him to ever hook up with you," she insisted.

With only the raise of her eyebrow and a slight smirk, Krista gave a nod. She wasn't rattled by Summer – only amused by the fact that she thought she was so tough. "The only thing I have to do to hook up with Cohen is convince him that you're hooking up with Kendrick."

Summer pushed off the wall and moved her hands to her waist, an incredulous look on her delicate features. "Wouldn't that make you the rebound?" Krista nodded. "And you're okay with that?"

Pushing off the counter, Krista tucked her hands into her pockets and gave a quick shrug of her shoulders. "I am okay with that. And thanks to your little pact, I think I can make it happen," she winked. "I have to thank you, Summer. I mean, if you hadn't been so focused on doing what was best for your "future," I'm sure you two would still be together, and I wouldn't stand a chance." She shook her head and reached for the bathroom door handle.

"What the hell does that mean?" Summer asked as the door closed behind Krista. She turned to Marissa. "I'm gonna kick her ass if she calls him "Cohen" one more time," she promised. "I have to thank you, Summer," the brunette mocked the other woman.

"I think I know what she means, Sum," Marissa said silently, her eyes averted to the floor to avoid the fire shooting out of Summer's. "Look, you're the one who broke up with him."

Summer felt her chest constricting. She didn't want to admit it – but she had been wrong. From the moment she said that they should see other people, she knew it wasn't true. She wanted to take the words back, but Seth was nodding in agreement with her and she got angry. She wanted him to assure her that they were going to be fine, that no distance or anything else was going to break them up. But he hadn't.

"Okay, look, Coop, I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she said finally, her arms falling helplessly to her sides. "I mean, I hardly had him when we were together. But I'm lost without him. I just don't know," she sighed, slinking against counter beside her friend.

"Sum, why'd you break up with him? Honestly?" Marissa asked.

She didn't want to say the words – they sounded dumb in her head, so she knew they would be bad out loud. But this was Coop – her best friend in the world – and she couldn't very well lie to her. With a heavy sigh, she leaned her full weight onto the marble counter top and ran her hands through her hair. "Because he was gonna break up with me soon enough. I mean, it was only a matter of time before he got all wicked, Berkley smart."

"Summer, you made the dean's list. You're not exactly ridin' the short bus, my friend," Marissa assured.

"I don't know, okay? I don't know what I was thinking," she sighed heavily. She could admit, to Coop, that she had made a mistake when she broke up with Seth. But it wouldn't go beyond this bathroom, beyond friends. She couldn't tell Cohen how she felt – they had a pact. And until he made the first move, she was not budging. "I have to go find Kendrick," she said under her breath, staring at the ground as she hurried out of the room.


	9. Another Unexpected Visitor

_A/N: Alright, guys - this is it for Violating the Pact.For those of youwho have been anticipating a big "cat fight" between Summer and Krista, sorry. I wanted to write one,but it all came out sounding like something I had already written. If you're just dying for a Summer fight, you can read my story "There and Back." Otherwise, I hope the ending doesn't disappoint._ _And a final, HUGE "thank you" to everyone who read and reviewed this story. You don't know how much I love checking my e-mail and finding your messages of encouragement. It's awesome!_

Summer stood near the window and studied Kendrick, sleeping soundly in her bed. He was sweet enough, and funny enough, and smart enough. But he wasn't Cohen, and that made climbing into her bed with him a hell of a lot harder than she thought it would be.

After she and Seth broke up, she had been so angry at him that she wanted to run off and sleep with any guy who showed her the slightest bit of attention. But she could never quite convince herself to climb into their beds, either. She had only slept with one guy in her life, and she wasn't altogether ready to change that.

The pounding at her door was enough to snap her out of her thoughts, but apparently not enough to wake Kendrick, who just grunted and rolled over, hugging her pillow close to his chest. She rolled her eyes and went toward the knocking. "What the hell? It is three o'clock in the morning," she exclaimed, throwing the door open.

Seth smiled shyly and looked around her, his grin fading as he saw the guest in her bed. "Um, yes, Summer. It is the middle of the night, and you're not alone, so I'm just gonna go," he pointed over his shoulder and turned.

"Cohen, wait," Summer called, stepping into the hall and closing her bedroom door. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What? You're the only one who can show up unexpected?" Turning, Seth ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, okay?" he admitted. "I don't know what the hell I'm doing here." He stared at his shoe and then at the ceiling before meeting her eye. "I could be having sex right now. With Krista." Summer felt her stomach drop to her toes. "Can we go somewhere else?" he whispered.

She just nodded and led him down the stairs and toward the back patio. Once she had closed the sliding door firmly behind them, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "So you just stopped by to tell me that you were going to have sex with Krista? Or were you asking for permission, Cohen? Because either way, you're totally out of line," she informed him. "And it totally violates the pact."

Seth walked to the edge of the pool and stared over the still water. The reflection of white Christmas lights in the glassy surface seemed far easier to concentrate on than what he had come here to say. With a deep breath, he decided to stop being the cowardly Seth Cohen for once, and say what he meant.

"Alright, look – I need to know what's up with us," he said flatly, turning to face her.

Summer put on her best "I don't know what you're talking about" face and shrugged her shoulders. "We're friends, I thought."

"Is that all we are to you? Because I know we broke up and we made this ridiculous pact to never get back together again, but I also know that every time I'm around you, Summer, I get nauseous and I feel like I'm going to pass out." He stopped and looked at her wide eyes, losing all track of his words and thoughts.

They were staring at each other, lost in their own world – one where no one else belonged, or even existed. It was a place they used to visit often, and now seemed just as familiar as it always had.

Too familiar for Summer. She wasn't ready for this – to go down this road again. Or, at least, to admit that she was. "Well, then why did you break up with me?" she demanded.

His eyes doubled in size as she made the accusation. "Break up with. . . Are you crazy! Were you not there when _you_, Summer Roberts, said the words 'I think we should see other people.' Or was I imagining all of that?"

She shook her head, though. "Seth, dammit – you're the one who agreed to the plan. If you hadn't said "okay," we would still be together."

"That is the most screwed up logic I have ever heard," Seth felt his voice raising before he could stop himself. "You're the one who went on and on about how we were going in two different directions, how you didn't see a future for us. You're the one who wanted out. What was I supposed to do, Summer? Tie you to the bed? Make you stay? Refuse to break up with you?" He let out a heavy sigh and sank to the pavement beneath him.

"You were supposed to tell me that you loved me and that it didn't matter what we ran into in the future – you were supposed to say that our love was strong enough to get through all of that, any of it," she told him. He was never supposed to hear any of this – not until he told her that he was miserable without her.

"Why are you so concerned with what is going to happen to us in the future?" he asked, and Summer shrugged. "I mean, after the last couple of days, I think it's pretty obvious that we are not even anywhere close to ready for the future. I think I know what I want to do, as a career, but it could change. I'm only twenty, Summer."

She studied him, sitting on the ground, his arms behind him as he leaned back and watched her. Without much thought of what she was doing, she moved to his side and sat, staring up at the moon, hanging lazily above them. "I wanted to forget you – to get over you," she admitted. "But then all that stuff happened with my roommate a couple weeks ago, and the first person I ran to was you. I didn't even know I was doing it," she laughed to herself.

He nodded and took her hand in his. "I'm glad you did. I mean, I can hang out with Krista or Ryan or Marissa or whatever, but you're the one I want to call every time something really cool, or really horrible, happens. You're still the one I think about all the time, Summer." He smirked. "When I'm not thinking about me, of course."

The feeling of his fingers around hers filled Summer with a calm that she hadn't known since their break up. It was a "right" feeling that she couldn't explain any other way. It was just right. "You know what I want right now?" she asked. Seth turned his face toward hers. "You. I don't know, Cohen, if we're destined to crash and burn, or if we'll be together forever, but right now? I want you – nobody else."

He could see that it was hard for her – putting her emotions into words. It was the one thing that she had never really been good at. With a hand on her cheek, he rested his forehead against hers. "Right now, I just want you, too." Before his lips met hers, though, he pulled back and stood. "Of course, I've got a hot blonde in my bed and you've got a dork with a Mohawk in yours."

Summer laughed and took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "What about the pool house? I happen to know that Ryan is staying with Marissa tonight," she winked.

Seth put his arm around Summer's neck and pulled her close. "Summer?" She stopped in the doorway and turned her face to his. "Look." He pointed up to the mistletoe hanging over their heads.

"I think Captain Oates would call this a happy ending, Cohen," she smiled, tucking her hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

Their lips met in a sweet kiss that seemed to fill in all of the lost time they had spent running from each other. When he finally pulled away, Seth narrowed his eyes at her and tilted his head. "So, this is totally violating the pact," he said.

She just smacked his arm and then dug her fingers into his hair, pulling him into another hungry kiss.


End file.
